Bunion-protector.



Q. E. PACKARD. BUNION PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION I'ILBD NOV. 24, 1909.

Patented Aug. 22,

COLUMBIA BLANMR'APN ctr-,WASHINGTDN. u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT oTTIoE;

QUINCY EDWARD PACKARD, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

BUNION-PROTECTOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, QUINCY EDWARD PACKARD, of the city of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bunion-Protectors; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention has for its object to provide a bunion protector or guard for the joint of the great toe which will not lose its shape and consequently its proper posit-ion relatively to the joint when softened by perspiration.

The invention may be said briefly to consist of a protector comprising a concavoconvex member with a lateral tongue adapted to extend beneath the ball of the wearers foot, and external resilient braces and an internal reinforcement.

For full comprehension, however, of my invention reference must be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar reference characters indicate the same parts and wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the top of my improved protector in use, the wearers foot being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3 is an edge elevation of the protector removed; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the underside of the protector; and Fig. .5 is a perspective view of the protector partly in section. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the blank from which my-improved protector is made.

The concavo-convex member 6 with its tongue 0 preferably consists of leather with its edges skived, a hole d being provided to accommodate the inflamed portion of the joint, and ventilating holes 6 distributed throughout the portion of the member at either side of the upper portion of the hole d. The tongue 0 extends beneath the ball of the foot slightly beyond the. longitudinal center thereof, and is of sufiicient width to lie perfectly flat and correct any tendency of the protector proper to turn in its place, while the underside of the tongue has adhesive substance f which when subjected to the heat of the foot will adhere to the sole Specification of Letters Patent. Patented A11 22, 1911.

Application filed November 24, 1909.

Serial No. 529,826.

of the wearers boot and when the foot is removed remain fixed in proper place ready to receive the swollen joint.

In order to give permanency to the form of the protector a pair of thin steel springs g bent to conform thereto are attached to its exterior, and a flat reinforcement tape is encircles the interior thereof and extends across the tongue, the springs preventing the protector from opening out when softened by perspiration and the binding adding rigidity to the edges and coacting with the springs in preserving the form initially given to the device.

As shown in Fig. 6 the contour of the protector blank is substantially circular which I have discovered is most effective when molded to the required form.

The springs and tape in causing the pro tector to keep its form assist the tongue in preventing the displacement of the protector.

What I claim is as follows 1. A bunion protector consisting of a substantially rigid concave shell of U-form in cross section throughout its length and shaped to clasp the side of the foot and cover the great toe joint, and a pair of resilient stiffening members attached to the said shell and conforming to the cross section thereof.

2. In a bunion protector the combination with a shell to fit the great toe joint and having an aperture for the affected part of the joint of a pair of concave steel springs attached to the shell and located at opposite sides of the opening.

3. In a bunion protector the combination with a circular concave shell shaped to fit the great toe joint and having a tape binding upon its edge and a tongue extending beneath the foot, and adapted to adhere to the sole of the boot, of a resilient stiflener attached to the said protector.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

QUINCY EDWARD PACKARD.

Witnesses: 1

WILLIAM P. MCFEAT, FRED J. SEARS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). o. 

